February 11, 1899.)
of Anhur have been joined by a band of disaffected men from the adjoining province of Honin, and the latter are credited with a prowess that has crented a great impression in Anhui and served to discomfit the troops Feal against the rebel army.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE. REPORT.
111
The Hon. E. R. BELILIO8-I intend to ask a
few questions at the next Council meeting, copy of which I will haud to the Clerk of Coun oils for approval. They will refer to the plot north of the gaol and the Magistracy. of land now lying fallow and situated to the
His EXCELLENOY—I have just been speaking to the Clark on the matter, and I think all ques- tions that are to be asked should appear in the orders of the day, and I suggest that this should be done in future.
A NEEDLESS WARNING.
the provincial authorities are undismayed | of the new public offices referred to in the two and unmoved. According to the Hangchow previous answers. correspondent of our Shanghai morning con temporary they have lisregarded the wishes of the inhabitants of the locality and have calmly resolved to re-erect the nugazine on the old site, the residents in the vicinity being informed that they must take their chances and be resigned to. whatever Fate may have in store for them. Few of the Chinese are followers of the Prophet, but a vast number believe in kismet: This truly oriental apathy is a great barrier to any real and sweeping scheme of reforin. Any progressive measures likely to be sanctioned will inevitably prove rare if not impossible of attainment, the spirit of progress or of reform does not exist in China exc pt in very isolated cases, and it is to be feared the policy of "can do" will yet bring about the gradual decay and breaking up of the Celestial Empire. The existence of this Sick man of the Further East may be pro- longed for some years by British and American assistance, nut it cannot be averted unless the character of the Govern- ment undergoes a radical change.
In Szechuen, on the other hand, the rebels appear, according to official ac- counts -- which cannot, however, be greatly trusted-to-have met with sigual reverses. Not only were the rebels routed most sigantly in the 17th and 18th ult. but their notorious lea ler Yu MAS-TZ is reported to have been captured, the Rev. Father FLEURY has been set at liberty, and Yi's “stronghold, Lan; Shiu-chen, | is now in the possession of His Excellency WAng Chik-chuan, the Pro- vincial Treasurer, who intends to await instructions there from Peking with regard to the disposal of the rebels who have falley, int his haul. WANG is also said to b..ve force of troops under his com- mand sufficient to enable him to dis- perse all the rebels and to restore or- der in the province. We trust this intelli- gence my prove to be well founded, but Chinese official telegrams are wont to re- cord as facts what the authors of the messages hope will prove so ultimately. If the reports now received are, however, re- liable, it will remove a source of uneasiness, On the 8th Feb. a meeting of the Hong- for if these rebellions were to continue to | kong Legislative Council was held in the Council spread they might compel foreign interven-Chamber at the Government Offices, there being tion for the purpose of restoring order. The rising headed by Yu MAN-.ZE would long ngo have been quelle had the Viceroy of Szechnen, acted bully and præ-uptly at the outset, instead of meekly trying to purchase the rebel's submission.
“ACHINESN “ CAN DO.”
their methods.
(Daily Press, 8th February.) The comparative untenchableness of the Chinese by lessons of experience has often been noted. Experientia docet is an axiom which as a race they have little faith in or care for. Rather that take a little trouble the ordinary Chinuman will, as frequently as not, take a frightful risk, and even when to his own knowledge a certain course or practice his previously evoked disaster he is not to be deterred from again taking what he calls the chance. At the recent public meeting held at the City Hall under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, Lord CHARLES BERESFORD in the course of his address told some racy anecdotes of Chinese indifference to perils and persever- ance in a provoking them rather than alter His Lordship mentioned three cases in which he had pointed out defects in the making of shell and powder, and how....when he indicated to the Chinese thorities the consequences that were likely to ensure they replied, apparently [delighted with his astuteness, that the consequshicos hail already happened, that they had alrealy blown the chases off their guns, hul blown the breeches out, , and at Canton had had an explosion „in a powler magazine. But the Chinese Authorities at Canton are unimpressed with danger and will not trouble to take necessary precautions. Nor are they in the least degree singular in this respect! Very lately there was a most disastrous explosion in a powder magn- gine at Hangchow with terrible results sidir the-loss of life and property. The Hagazine was eleuated in the heart of the
•
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¿
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
present:
COUNCIL.
His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR, Sir Henry
BLAKE, G.C.W.G.
C.M.G. (Over Commanding the Troops).
HIS EXCELLENCY Major-General GASCOIGNE Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART (Colonial Secretary).
Hon, H. E. POLLOCK (Auting Attorney- General).
Hon. R. MURRAY RUMSEY (Harbour Master). Hon. F. H. May, G.M.G. (Captain Super- intendent of Police).
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer), Hon. R. D. ORMBBY (Director of Pablic Works)
Hou. C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD. Hon. Dr. HO KAI.
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS, C.M.G. Hon. J. J. Ball-IRVING. Hon, WEI A YUK.
Mr. J. G. T. BUCKLE (Clerk of Councils),
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and adopted as a correct record.
PAPERS.
the report of the Head Master of Queen's Col- The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table lege for the year 1898 and the report of the Superintendent of Victoria Gaol for the same
year,
THE PROPOSED NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICES.
The Hon. E. R. BELILIO8 said-I have sent
a copy of the following questions to the Clerk of Councils: (1) Will the Government state whether or not sites for the proposed new Law Courts and for the new Post Office have been
the plans for the above-named buildings have selected? (2) Will the Government state whether been considered, and whether they are pre- pared to recommend such plans for adoption? (3) Will the Government state whether the Secretary of State for the Colouies has sanctioned any soheme for the ereation of the new public offices above-named put before him by the Government?
|
first question I have to state that the site The COLONIAL SECRETARY-In reply to the selected for the new Law Courts is a site im- médiately north of the site of the City Hall on the Praya Reclamation Ground. With regard to the second question, the site at present selected for the new Post Office is the site now occupied by the Post Office and the Supreme Court or by a portion of those buildings, but an official the new Post Office have been considered. A to the third question, the Secretary of State has not sanctioned any scheme for the erection
|
The COLONIAL SECRETARY—-I have the hon- in my name:"Whereas it has been usual our to move the following resolution standing to warn officers appointed to the service of this Colony since 1894, from a country possessing a gold standard of currency,
that the exchange compensation allow- ance on half their salaries will be granted to of the service, but that the continuance thereof them so long as it is granted to other members is not guaranteed and is subject to the annual vote of the Council, and it is deemed that such warning is calculated to deter eligible persons from entering the public service, it is hereby resolved that it is expedient to discontinue such warning in future, and to regard the compensa- tion as a permanent but not as a pensionable emolument,' The terms of the resolution are so clear that I do not consider any further com. ment is necessary from me.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded and
the motion was carried.
THE LAWS RELATING TO MERCHANT SHIPPING, ETO.
The ACTING Attorney GENERAL- I rise to move the first reading of a Bill entitled an Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to Merchant Shipping, the duties of the Harbour Master, the control and manage- ment of the waters of the Colony, and the re- gulation of vessels navigating the same. At the next meeting of the Council in moving the second reading I propose to move that this Bill be referred to the Standing Law Committee for consideration.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
The Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-On former occasions when Bills have been introduced into this Council in connection with the merchant shipping it has been usual for the Government to forward copies for the consideration of the Chamber of Commerce, who have practical knowledge of the shipping, and their sugges tions have been invited. Perhaps on this occasion the usual course might be followed P
His EXCELLENCY-I do not know what the custom has been. In fact I know nothing about this Bill. I have never seen it, but it seems to me as the first reading of a Bill is a purely pro forma mutter, considerable time will elapse before the Bill will be read a second time. I think a copy of the Bill might be sent to the Chamber of Commerce, and no doubt the com- mittee would be very glad to have their opinion' on it.
It would be very valuable.
I quite agree with the honourable member on the ad. visability of it.
It was understood that a copy of the Bill should be forwarded to the Chamber of Com-
merce.
The Bill passed the first reading. ORIMINAL PROCEDURE IN THE SUPREME
COURT.
The ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL~1 rise to propose the first reading of a Bill entitled an Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to Criminal Procedure in the Supreme Court. At the next meeting after the Bill has been read a second time I propose to move that the Bill be referred to the Stand ing Law Committee.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the motion was carried.
THE LAW RELATING TO PRISONS. The ACTING Attorney GENERAL-I rise to move the second reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance to amend and consolidate the Law relating to Prisons. As I indicated to honour- able members of this Council when this Bill was shall have some amendments to move in com- mittes. The first amendment which I shall have to move is in the last line of clause 4—to
city, and any other people would“ not con- decision has not been arrived at. No plans for last before the Council on the first reading, I
"sider twice is to the dvisability of remove *ing so "daugerous a, manufacture outside the walls, after the recent experience, but
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.